Is it possible to specify border in android button?

Question

Is it possible to specify border in Android button in the main.xml? [p.s. without the 'separate xml file containing stroke tag' but in the original file where I define the button and also without the 'dynamically by programming' solution and 'images' solution]

  <Button
    android:background="#FFFFFF"
    android:layout_width="0dp"
    android:layout_height="fill_parent"
    android:text="Player 3"
    android:layout_x="0px"
    android:layout_y="0px"
    android:id="@+id/p3"
    android:layout_weight="1" 

/>

here I am changing the background dynamically but the problem is, for 2 buttons there is no border.

You could use shape-selector xml to make custom button with border of your own choice for different buttons states, Have a look at [Standard Android Button with a different color](http://stackoverflow.com/q/1521640/593709) — Adil Soomro, Jul 10 '13 at 07:59
@AdilSoomro ,i was kindof hoping that there would be sumthing i had missed .thnk u for the answer. i might have to go with the shape selector approach. — Nyx, Jul 10 '13 at 11:42

Gunaseelan · Answer 1 · 2014-06-09T04:40:19.823

35

Try to use shape

my_shape.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:shape="rectangle" >

    <corners
        android:bottomLeftRadius="7dp"
        android:bottomRightRadius="7dp"
        android:radius="0.1dp"
        android:topLeftRadius="7dp"
        android:topRightRadius="7dp" />

    <solid android:color="#FFFFFF" />

    <stroke
        android:width="1dp"
        android:color="#E8E6E7" />

</shape>

And Button

<Button
    android:id="@+id/button1"
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:background="@drawable/my_shape"
    android:text="Button" />

Screenshot

enter image description here

I hope this will help you.

edited Jun 09 '14 at 04:40

answered Jul 10 '13 at 07:59

Gunaseelan

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hi,i was trying to avoid this very thing.but thnk u for ur answer. – Nyx Jul 10 '13 at 11:40
1

Hi. I used your code but no changes are reflected to my buttons. Can you help? – Samarth Agarwal Dec 24 '14 at 16:34
Note that AndroidStudio creates `selectors` by default, not `shapes`. – Elliott Beach May 31 '17 at 19:32

score 7 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 11:46

This is not the recommended way to do it because it causes overdraw and adds unnecessary views, Gunaseelan has the proper method.

There's no concept of borders as an attribute. The accepted way is to use a separate drawable as the background to the View (using stroke as you've mentioned and as @gunaseelan writes).

The other (not recommended) way is to enclose your Button in another View like a LinearLayout, set the background color to the desired border colour on the encapsulating View and padding on the outer View too.

<LinearLayout
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:background="#342334"
    android:padding="5dp"
    >
    <Button
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:text="whatwhaaat"
        />
</LinearLayout>

The value of the padding will indicate the thickness of the border. This method is not recommended as you end up with an extra View in your layout, and another layer of overdraw (it draws the LinearLayout then the Button on top).

well,i was kindof hoping that there would be sumthing i had missed.thnk u for the answer — Nyx, Jul 10 '13 at 11:39

Is it possible to specify border in android button?

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